Avantika Narale breaks Dutee Chand’s record

The 15-year-old from Pune clocked 24.96s, bettering the recent Asian Games silver medallist Dutee Chand’s record of 24.98 set in 2009.

Avantika Narale, (Jersey No. 1216) set a new meet record on Monday.

Maharashtra’s Avantika Narale broke Dutee Chand’s nine-year-old 200m Under-16 girls meet record on the final day of the 34th National junior athletics championships at Ranchi on Monday.

The 15-year-old from Pune, the fastest girl at the Khelo India School Games early this year, clocked 24.96s, bettering the recent Asian Games silver medallist Dutee Chand’s record of 24.98 set in 2009.

Meanwhile Delhi’s Nisar Ahmed, the fastest boy at the Khelo India meet, bettered the under-18 boys 200m meet record clocking 21.50s.

Maharashtra’s promising middle distance runner Tai Bamhane was a comfortable winner in the under-16 girls 800m and broke the meet record clocking 2:12.85s.

Kerala’s Abitha Mary Manuel was also an easy winner in the under-20 girls 800m, clocking 2:09.43s and finished with a double, having won the 400m earlier.

Haryana won the overall championship and the men’s team title while Kerala bagged the women’s team honours.

Best athletes (with their events): Boys: Under-14: Danish Makwana (Guj, shot put). Under-16: Pankaj Verma (Har, long jump). Under-18: Nitesh Poonia (Raj, hammer throw). Under-20: Akshdeep Singh (Pun, 10,000m walk). Girls: Under-14: Asha Kiran Baria (Jkd, 600m). Under-16: Shaili Singh (Kar, long jump). Under-18: Aparna Roy (Ker, 100m hurdles). Under-20: Renu (Pun, long jump)